The annual prize, awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences, bears the name of the famous scientist Niels-Henrik Abel and has a reputation as a Nobel Prize for mathematicians, with its size in terms of money of about $1 million. Since Alfred Nobel, in his will, determined the range of scientific areas for the payment of bonuses that did not include mathematics, the Norwegian mathematician Sofus Lee at the end of his life devoted all his efforts and his international authority to create a foundation for awarding prizes to mathematicians. He wanted to give the award the name of Niels Henrik Abel, also a Norwegian mathematician. The article presents a historical background for the formation of the Abel Prize. The winners of the main mathematical prize for all the years of its existence and their major achievements are shown. Among laureates of the Abel Prize there are outstanding scientists from 11 countries: France, Great Britain, Lebanon, USA, Hungary, Sweden, India, Belgium, Russia, Canada and Israel. Three times the prize was at once awarded to two scientists. And in 2019, for the first time ever the woman – Karen Keskalla Uhlenbeck – professor, American mathematician, became the winner of the prestigious mathematics award.
